RESPONSE TO INSTRUCTION AND INTERVENTION

Guidance for Federal Funds

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Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 1!

CONTENTS

Introduction!..................................................................................................................................!2!

Q1.!What!is!RTI2?!..........................................................................................................................!3!

Q2.!What!Does!Tennessee!Law!Require!Regarding!RTI2?!.............................................................!3!

Q3.!How!Do!the!New!State!Guidelines!Impact!the!Use!of!ED!Grant!Funds!for!RTI2?!...................!4!

Q4.!Generally,!How!Can!ED!Grant!Funds!Support!RTI2?!...............................................................!5!

Q5.!Specifically,!How!Can!ED!Grant!Funds!Support!an!Interventionist?!.......................................!5!

Q6.!Specifically,!How!Can!ED!Grant!Funds!Support!Intervention!Tools?!......................................!6!

Q7.!Specifically,!How!Can!ED!Grant!Funds!Support!Progress!Monitoring?!..................................!7!

Q8.!Can!ED!Grant!Funds!Support!Universal!Screeners?!................................................................!8!

Q9.!Can!ED!Grant!Funds!Support!Tier!I!Activities!Other!Than!Universal!Screeners?!..................!10!

Q10.!Can!the!LEA!or!school!split!the!cost!of!the!same!RTI2!activity!between!one!or!!

more!funding!source(s)?!.......................................................................................................!11!

Additional!Questions?!.................................................................................................................!11!

Notes!...........................................................................................................................................!12!

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Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 2!

Introduction The!Tennessee!Department!of!Education!(TDOE)!has!endorsed!Response!to!Instruction!and!Intervention!(RTI2)!as!an!effective!framework!for!addressing!student!needs.!!In!accordance!with!that,!the!Tennessee!State!Board!of!Education!recently!approved!policies!related!to!RTI2,!which!has!generated!many!questions!from!districts!about!how!federal!funds!can!support!this!work.!!This!guidance!document!provides!broad!information!about!using!U.S.!Department!of!Education!(ED)!grants!such!as!Title!I,!Title!II,!Title!III!and!IDEA,!Part!B,!to!support!RTI2!related!activities.!!TDOE!is!available!to!assist!districts!with!more!specific!questions!on!RTI2.!!!

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General'Overview'

• RTI2!is!a!framework!for!addressing!student!needs,!not!a!specific!service!or!activity.!

• Although!state!guidelines!require!LEAs!to!use!an!RTI2!process!to!determine!whether!a!student!has!a!Specific!Learning!Disability!under!IDEA,!this!is!only!one!facet!of!RTI2.!!LEAs!are!not!limited!or!prohibited!from!using!ED!grants!to!support!RTI2!related!activities!to!provide!instructional!opportunities!for!struggling!students.!!

• Subject!to!certain!rules,!ED!grant!funds!can!support!Tier!II!and!Tier!III!activities!such!as!interventionists,!intervention!tools,!or!progress!monitoring.!

• It!is!more!challenging!to!use!ED!grant!funds!to!support!Tier!I!activities,!such!as!universal!screening,!but!some!Tier!I!costs!may!be!permissible!in!limited!instances.!

Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 3!

Q1. What is RTI2? RTI2!is!a!problem]solving!framework!that!addresses!individual!student!needs.!!There!is!no!single,!absolute!definition!of!RTI2,!but!in!general!it!is!a!process!where!“schools!use!data!to!identify!students!at!risk!for!poor!learning!outcomes,!monitor!student!progress,!provide!evidence]based!interventions!and!adjust!the!intensity!and!nature!of!those!interventions!depending!on!a!student’s!responsiveness.”!If!a!student!does!not!respond!to!the!interventions,!schools!may!identify!a!student!with!a!Specific!Learning!Disability.1!

As!the!above!definition!suggests,!school!districts!and!schools!will!use!an!RTI2!approach!to!accomplish!many!different!objectives!including!

• Improving!academic!achievement!by!ensuring!all!students!have!access!to!high]quality!instruction!responsive!to!their!needs,!

• Early!identification!of!struggling!students!through!the!use!of!data!so!that!districts!and!schools!can!provide!early!interventions!tailored!to!individual!student!need,!and!

• Determining!whether!a!student!has!a!Specific!Learning!Disability!(SLD)!under!the!Individuals!with!Disabilities!Education!Act!(IDEA).!

!In!Tennessee!RTI2!consists!of!three!tiers:!

• Tier'I:!All!students!receive!high]quality!instruction!that!incorporates!universal!screening.!

• Tier'II:''Interventions!are!provided!to!students!who!fall!below!the!25th!percentile!on!universal!screening!(or!the!appropriate!percentile!for!your!school),!and!who!struggle!academically!and/or!behaviorally.!!The!progress!of!these!students!is!monitored!weekly!or!every!other!week!using!a!nationally]normed,!skills]based!tool.!

• Tier'III:''More!explicit!and!intensive!interventions!are!provided!to!students!who!have!not!made!sufficient!progress!in!Tier!II,!are!1.5!–!2!grade!levels!behind,!or!are!below!the!10th!percentile.!!The!progress!of!these!students!is!monitored!weekly!or!every!other!week!using!a!nationally]normed,!skills]based!tool.!

Federal!ED!grant!funds!generally!support!Tier!II!and!III!services!for!students.!The!most!common!Tier!II!and!Tier!III!activities!include!the!following:!

• Interventionists!

• Intervention!tools!

• Progress!monitoring!

Supporting!these!activities!with!ED!grant!funds!is!discussed!in!Q5]Q7!below.!!!

For!more!information!about!Tennessee’s!guiding!principles!for!an!RTI2!framework!please!see!Tennessee’s!RTI2!2013!Manual,!available!at:!http://www.tncore.org/math/rti_manual.aspx.!

Q2. What Does Tennessee Law Require Regarding RTI2? At!the!outset,!it’s!important!to!note!that!RTI2!is!a!general!education!framework!used!to!provide!early!intervention!to!any!student!struggling!to!succeed.!!As!a!byproduct!of!RTI2,!some!students!may!not!respond!to!the!intervention!at!Tier!II!and!Tier!III!and!may!be!referred!to!special!education!to!determine!if!the!student!has!a!Specific!Learning!Disability.!All!data!collected!and!intervention!information!previously!provided!will!become!a!part!of!the!students!SLD!evaluation.!!The!Tennessee!State!Board!of!Education!approved!Special!Education!Guidelines!and!Standards!regarding!Evaluations!for!Specific!

Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 4!

Learning!Disabilities!that!require!all!districts!and!schools!to!use!RTI2!to!determine!the!eligibility!of!students!to!receive!special!education!services!in!the!category!of!SLD.2!!These!Guidelines!became!effective!July!1,!2014.!!They!were!developed!consistent!with!federal!rules!that!require!states!to!adopt!criteria!for!determining!whether!a!child!has!an!SLD!under!IDEA.3!!This!does!not!mean!RTI2!should!be!viewed!solely!as!a!path!for!determining!special!education!eligibility.!!The!new!Board]approved!Guidelines!address!one!facet!of!an!RTI2!framework:!determining!a!student’s!eligibility!for!special!education!services!based!on!an!SLD!under!IDEA.!!!

Q3. How Do the New State Guidelines Impact the Use of ED Grant Funds for RTI2? The!fact!that!an!RTI2!process!is!required!by!State!Board!policies!has!raised!questions!across!the!state!about!federal!“supplement!not!supplant”!rules!because!they!limit!the!ways!ED!grants!can!support!state]law!requirements.!!!

This!is!not!to!say!“supplement!not!supplant”!is!never!a!concern!when!spending!ED!funds!on!RTI2!activities.!!The!supplement!not!supplant!rule!does!limit!the!kinds!of!activities!ED!funds!can!support,!as!discussed!throughout!this!guidance.!!But,!these!limits!do!not!stem!from!the!new!Guidelines,!nor!are!the!Guidelines!an!automatic!bar!to!the!use!of!ED!funds.'

Supplement not Supplant Overview ED’s!largest!grant!programs!–!including!Title!I,!Title!II,!Title!III!and!IDEA!–!are!governed!by!supplement!not!supplant!provisions.!!In!general,!this!means!ED!grant!funds!must!be!used!for!services!in'addition'to!what!a!district!or!school!would!be!expected!to!provide!with!state!or!local!funds!as!part!of!a!basic!educational!program.!

Supplanting!is!typically!presumed!in!three!situations:!

1. A!school!or!district!uses!federal!funds!to!provide!services!it!is!required!to!make!available!under!other!federal,!state,!or!local!laws.!!In!this!instance,!an!auditor!may!raise!questions!about!supplanting!in!the!case!of!RTI2,!i.e.!using!federal!funds!to!support!something!required!by!state!law.!!The!new!State!Board]approved!guidelines!are!not!the!kind!of!state!requirements!that!would!trigger!a!presumption!of!supplanting!because!the!guidelines!do!not!require!districts!or!schools!to!use!any!specific!instructional!tool!or!intervention.!!The!guidelines!only!require!districts!and!schools!to!use!an!RTI2!approach!to!determining!a!student’s!eligibility!for!special!education!services!based!on!SLD.!!!

2. A!school!or!district!uses!federal!funds!to!provide!services!it!provided!with!state!or!local!funds!in!the!prior!year.!

3. A!school!or!district!uses!Title!I,!Part!A!!funds!to!provide!the!same!services!to!Title!I!students!that!it!provides!with!state!or!local!funds!to!non]title!students.!Similarly,!RTI!costs!charged!to!grants!such!as!Title!I,!Title!II,!Title!III!and!IDEA!still!must!be!supplemental.!!This!would!prohibit!a!district!from!using!Title!I!funds!to!provide!a!service!to!its!Title!I!students!while!using!state!or!local!funds!to!provide!the!same!service!to!its!non]Title!I!students.!!!

Please!note!there!are!exceptions!to!these!presumptions!with!regard!to!IDEA!part!B!Maintenance!of!Effort!and!some!school]level!situations.!TDOE!can!provide!specific!guidance!in!these!instances.!!

Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 5!

Q4. Generally, How Can ED Grant Funds Support RTI2? There!are!many!considerations!that!affect!whether!ED!funds!can!support!a!particular!RTI2]related!activity.!!In!limited!circumstances,!ED!grant!funds!could!support!Tier!I!services!for!students.!!(Universal'screening'is'discussed'in'Q8,'and'other'Tier'I'activities'are'discussed'in'Q9.)'Tier!II!and!III!services!for!students!are!the!easiest!to!support!with!ED!grant!funds!for!two!reasons:!

1. They!tend!to!be!targeted!to!specific!students,!making!it!easier!to!meet!student!eligibility!rules,!and!!

2. They!tend!to!be!supplemental!activities,!making!it!easier!to!meet!supplement!not!supplant!requirements.!!

3. Each!ED!grant!has!its!own!eligibility!rules!and!purpose.'!All!activities!paid!for!with!ED!funds!must!be!consistent!with!the!purpose!of!the!grant!program!and!benefit!only!eligible!populations.!

Q5. Specifically, How Can ED Grant Funds Support an Interventionist? An!interventionist!is!an!educator!trained!to!deliver!a!prescribed!intervention!with!fidelity.!!This!may!include!a!general!education!teacher,!special!education!teacher,!trained!educational!assistant,!or!intervention!specialist.!

The!following!ED!funds!could!support!an!interventionist:!

Funding'Source' Activity'District=level'Title'I,''Part'A4'!Note:'the'district'could'not'

use'Title'I'to'pay'for'these'

costs'in'Title'I'schools'and'

then'use'state'or'local'funds'

to'pay'for'the'same'costs'in'

nonDTitle'I'schools'(see'Q3)'

• Hire!specialists!to!deliver!interventions!in!Title!I!schools.5!!• Provide!professional!development,!including!job]embedded!supports,!to!

interventionists!working!with!eligible!students!in!Title!I!schools.!!Such!professional!development!could!include:!o Hiring!coaches!to!work!with!interventionists!to!improve!their!content!

knowledge!or!instructional!delivery,!o Supporting!mentor!teachers!that!work!with!interventionists!to!improve!

their!skills,!or!o Supporting!the!cost!of!an!interventionist!to!attend!relevant!training!

courses.!!This!may!include!the!cost!of!the!training,!stipends!to!the!participating!interventionist,!or!substitute!teachers!to!provide!release!time.!!

• Provide!professional!development,!including!job]embedded!supports,!to!staff!in!Title!I!schools!to!enable!them!to!serve!as!interventionists.6!!!As!above,!professional!development!costs!could!include!coaching,!mentoring,!or!training.!

School=level'Title'I,'Part'A'Schoolwide'Program'Schools7'!Note:'in'a'schoolwide'

program'school,'all'costs'

must'be'consistent'with'the'

school’s'needs'assessment'

and'schoolwide'plan.'''

• Hire!specialists!to!deliver!interventions!to!students.!• Pay!stipends!or!other!compensation!to!existing!staff!to!deliver!

interventions.!• Hire!specialists,!or!compensate!existing!staff,!to!deliver!positive!behavioral!

supports!or!other!behavior!interventions.!• Provide!professional!development,!including!job]embedded!supports,!to!

interventionists!or!existing!staff!to!enable!them!to!serve!as!interventionists.!!As!above,!professional!development!costs!could!include!coaching,!mentoring,!or!training.!

• Restructure!the!school!schedule!to!allow!interventionists!time!to!deliver!interventions!during!the!school!day.!

Title'II,'Part'A8' • Provide!professional!development!to!interventionists!on:!o Identifying!appropriate!interventions,!!o The!core!academic!subjects!they!teach,!or!o Effective!instructional!methods,!including!managing!student!behavior!!

Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 6!

IDEA,'Part'B'Coordinated'Early'Intervening'Services'(CEIS)9,10'''!

• Hire!interventionists,!including!specialists,!to!work!with!nondisabled!students!who!have!not!reached!grade]level!proficiency.!!

• Hire!staff!to!provide!after]school!tutoring!for!nondisabled!students!who!are!not!proficient!on!state!assessments.!

• Hire!staff!to!provide!behavior!interventions!to!nondisabled!students!who!need!behavior!supports.!!

IDEA,'Part'B,''Section'61111'!

• Hire!specialists!to!deliver!interventions!to!students!with!disabilities,!or!pay!stipends!or!other!compensation!to!existing!staff!to!deliver!interventions!to!such!students.!!(Please!note!IDEA]funded!interventionists!may!deliver!interventions!to!nondisabled!students!in!cases!where!it!does!not!expand!the!work!they!are!already!doing!for!students!with!disabilities.12!!For!example,!a!nondisabled!student!could!participate!in!specialized!reading!instruction!being!delivered!to!a!student!with!disabilities,!but!an!interventionist!fully!funded!with!IDEA,!Part!B!funds!could!not!provide!additional!services!to!the!nondisabled!student,!such!as!grading!papers!or!participating!in!parent]teacher!conferences.)!

• Provide!professional!development,!including!job]embedded!supports,!to!interventionists!working!with!students!with!disabilities.!!Such!professional!development!could!include:!o Hiring!coaches!to!work!with!interventionists!to!improve!their!content!

knowledge!or!instructional!delivery,!o Supporting!mentor!teachers!that!work!with!interventionists!to!improve!

their!skills,!or!o Supporting!the!cost!of!an!interventionist!to!attend!relevant!training!

courses.!!This!may!include!the!cost!of!the!training,!stipends!to!the!participating!interventionist,!or!substitute!teachers!to!provide!release!time.!

• Provide!professional!development,!including!job]embedded!supports,!to!existing!staff!to!enable!them!to!serve!as!interventionists!for!students!with!disabilities.!!As!above,!professional!development!costs!could!include!coaching,!mentoring,!and!training.!

Q6. Specifically, How Can ED Grant Funds Support Intervention Tools? Intervention!tools!are!the!materials!and!supplies!needed!to!implement!a!chosen!intervention!at!either!the!district!or!school!level.!These!materials!and!supplies!could!be!funded!using!the!following!ED!grant!funds:!

Funding'Source' Activity'District=level'Title'I,'Part'A13'!Note:'the'district'could'not'use'Title'I'

to'pay'for'these'costs'in'Title'I'

schools'and'then'use'state'or'local'

funds'to'pay'for'the'same'costs'in'

nonDTitle'I'schools'(see'Q3)'

• Provide!supplemental!professional!development!to!staff!in!Title!I!schools!to!support!their!use!of!high]quality!intervention!materials.!

School=level'Title'I,'Part'A'Schoolwide'Program'School14'!Note:'in'a'schoolwide'program'

school,'all'costs'must'be'consistent'

with'the'school’s'needs'assessment'

and'schoolwide'plan.'''

• Purchase!materials!and!supplies!needed!to!deliver!high]quality!research]based!interventions!to!struggling!students.!

• Provide!professional!development!to!educators!delivering!interventions!to!support!their!use!of!high]quality!intervention!materials.!

Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 7!

Title'II,'Part'A15' • Provide!professional!development!to!assist!teachers!and!leaders!in!identifying!interventions!to!help!students!with!different!learning!styles!learn,!particularly!students!with!disabilities,!students!with!special!learning!needs,!and!students!with!limited!English!proficiency.!

• Provide!professional!development!to!teachers,!principals!and!paraprofessionals!to!support!their!use!of!high]quality!intervention!materials.!

IDEA,'Part'B'Coordinated'Early'Intervening'Services'(CEIS)'16,17'''!

• Purchase!supplemental!materials!and!supplies!needed!to!deliver!high]quality!research]based!interventions!to!eligible!nondisabled!students.!

• Provide!supplemental!professional!development!to!educators!delivering!interventions!to!eligible!nondisabled!students!to!support!their!use!of!high]quality!intervention!materials.!

IDEA,'Part'B,'Section'61118'!

• Purchase!materials!and!supplies!to!deliver!high]quality!research]based!interventions!to!students!with!disabilities.!

• Provide!professional!development!to!educators!delivering!interventions!to!students!with!disabilities!to!support!their!use!of!high]quality!intervention!materials.!

Q7. Specifically, How Can ED Grant Funds Support Progress Monitoring? Progress!monitoring!is!used!in!Tiers!II!and!III!to!help!gauge!the!effectiveness!of!an!intervention!provided!to!a!student!to!ensure!the!intervention!is!helping!the!student!reach!a!goal.!!Progress!monitoring!is!done!through!valid!and!reliable!assessments!used!to!quantify!a!student’s!rate!of!improvement!in!response!to!an!intervention.!!Progress!monitoring!tools!are!designed!to!be!easy,!quick,!repeatable,!and!highly!sensitive!to!change!in!student!performance,!and!can!include!Curriculum!Based!Measurement!(CBM)!probes,!assessments!from!intervention!materials/kits,!and!computer]based!assessments.!!Progress!monitoring!can!be!implemented!districtwide,!or!for!individual!students!or!an!entire!class!]!which!will!affect!how!ED!funds!can!support!the!cost.!

Progress Monitoring: District-level If!a!district!wishes!to!implement!progress!monitoring!for!all'students'across'all'schools,!it!would!be!difficult!to!support!with!ED!grants!because!of!the!eligibility!and!supplement!not!supplant!concerns!addressed!in!Q4.!

There!are,!however,!ways!a!district!could!use!certain!ED!grants!to!support!parts!of!a!progress!monitoring!initiative:!

Funding'Source' Activity'Title'II,'Part'A19' • Provide!training!to!teachers,!principals!and!paraprofessionals!on!how!

to!understand!and!use!progress!monitoring!results!to!improve!classroom!practice!and!student!learning.!!

IDEA,'Part'B'Coordinated'Early'Intervening'Services'(CEIS)20,21'

• Purchase!progress!monitoring!tools!for!eligible!nondisabled!students.!• Provide!professional!development!to!staff!on!how!to!conduct!

monitoring.!

Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 8!

IDEA,'Part'B,'Section'61122''

• Purchase!progress!monitoring!tools!for!use!with!students!with!disabilities.!!If!progress!monitoring!is!implemented!for!all!students!in!a!classroom,!then!it!may!be!permissible!to!split!the!cost!between!IDEA!and!another!funding!source.!!Compensate!staff!delivering!the!progress!monitoring!to!students!with!disabilities.!

• Provide!professional!development!to!staff!delivering!progress!monitoring!to!students!with!disabilities!on!how!to!conduct!the!monitoring.!

• Support!the!use!of!progress!monitoring!data!to!improve!services!for!students!with!disabilities,!including!paying!for!extended!time!for!teachers!to!review!data!and!identify!interventions!to!better!meet!the!needs!of!students!with!disabilities,!or!developing!a!data!dashboard!to!help!teachers!track!and!analyze!progress!results.!

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Progress Monitoring: School-level If!progress!monitoring!is!the!responsibility!of!the!individual!schools,!and!the!district!is!not!carrying!out!a!district]wide!progress!monitoring!approach,!an!individual!school'operating'a'schoolwide'program!has!more!spending!options:!!!

Funding'Source' Activity'Title'I,'Part'A' • Purchase!progress!monitoring!tools!for!use!with!individual!students,!or!

an!entire!class,!depending!on!the!school’s!needs!and!plan.!!• Compensate!staff!delivering!the!progress!monitoring.!• Provide!professional!development!to!staff!on!how!to!conduct!

monitoring.!• Support!the!use!of!progress!monitoring!data!to!improve!services!for!

students,!including!paying!for!extended!time!for!teachers!to!review!data!and!identify!interventions!to!better!meet!the!needs!of!students,!or!developing!a!data!dashboard!to!help!teachers!track!and!analyze!progress!results.23!

Q8. Can ED Grant Funds Support Universal Screeners? In!general,!a!universal!screener!is!a!brief!screening!assessment!of!academic!skills!(e.g.!basic!reading!skills,!reading!fluency,!reading!comprehension,!math!calculation,!math!problem!solving,!and!written!expression)!administered!to!all!students!to!determine!whether!students!demonstrate!the!skills!necessary!to!achieve!grade]level!standards.!!Because!a!universal!screener!is!administered!to!all'students!it!is!difficult!to!support!the!cost!with!ED!funds!for!the!following!two!reasons:!

Eligibility'rules:!!Title!I,!for!example,!can!only!support!activities!in!Title!I!eligible!schools!for!Title!eligible!students.!!Title!I!eligible!students!include!all!students!in!a!Title!I!school!operating!a!schoolwide!program,24!and!specifically!identified!at]risk!students!in!a!Title!I!school!operating!a!targeted!assistance!program.25!!Similarly,!Title!III!can!only!support!eligible!English!language!learners,!and!IDEA,!Part!B!can!only!support!eligible!students!with!disabilities!(with!certain!exceptions).!!!

Supplement'not'supplant'provision:!The!third!presumption!of!supplanting!(Q3!above)!poses!unique!challenges!for!Title!I,!making!it!difficult!to!use!Title!I!to!support!the!cost!of!a!universal!screener!in!Title!I!schools!if!the!district!is!also!screening!in!its!non]Title!I!schools.!!This!is!because!! ED!presumes!a!cost!constitutes!supplanting!if!a!district!uses!Title!I!funds!to!provide!a!service!to!Title!I!students!when!the!district!provides!the!same!service!to!non]Title!I!students!with!state!or!local!funds.26!!

Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 9!

Supplement!not!supplant!also!poses!a!challenge!for!Title!III.!!In!general,!Title!III!is!governed!by!a!more!restrictive!supplement!not!supplant!provision!than!other!programs,!making!it!hard!to!use!Title!III!to!support!a!universal!service.27!

While!this!is!ED’s!general!position,!there!are!certain!scenarios!where!ED!grant!funds!could!support!screening!activities.!!These!examples!are!provided!to!illustrate!potentially!permissible!costs,!but!ultimately!what!is!permissible!will!depend!on!the!particular!facts!and!circumstances!in!a!given!case.!!!

Universal Screener: Schoolwide Programs (SWP) To!be!allowable,!this!scenario!presumes!each!of!a!district’s!schools!is!responsible!for!purchasing!its!own!universal!screener!(i.e.!the!purchase!is!not!made!at!the!district!level!on!behalf!of!all!schools).!!!

Individual!Title!I!schools!operating!SWPs!could!use!Title!I!to!purchase!the!universal!screener!if:!!

• It!were!part!of!the!school’s!comprehensive!Title!I!SW!plan!for!improving!its!educational!program!consistent!with!its!needs,!and!

• The!district!could!demonstrate!it!provided!the!school!with!all!of!the!state!and!local!resources!it!would!have!received!if!it!did!not!participate!in!the!Title!I!program.!

Title!I!could!support!the!cost!of!a!universal!screener!in!an!SWP!because!all!children!in!the!school!may!participate!in!Title!I]funded!activities,!and!the!traditional!three!presumptions!of!supplanting!discussed!in!Q3!do!not!apply.!Instead,!a!“supplemental!funds”!test!applies.!!To!meet!the!“supplemental!funds”!requirement,!the!district!must!ensure!each!SWP!receives!all!the!state!and!local!funds!it!would!receive!were!it!not!a!Title!I!school.!!!In!other!words,!an!LEA!may!not!reduce!its!allocation!of!state!and!local!funds!and!resources!to!an!SWP!because!the!school!receives!Title!I!funds!to!operate!a!schoolwide!program.!!The!Title!I!funds!are!still!“extra”!funding,!in!addition!to!the!standard!state!and!local!funds!allocation.!

Violations!of!supplanting!could!still!happen!in!the!context!of!schoolwide!schools.!!For!example,!the!supplemental!funds!test!would!be!violated!if!the!district!used!local!funds!to!purchase!universal!screeners!for!its!non]Title!I!schools!and!then!expected!its!Title!I!SWPs!to!purchase!screeners!with!its!Title!I!SWP!funds.!!This!is!because!the!non]Title!I!schools!would!receive!a!locally]funded!resource!not!made!available!to!the!Title!I!SWPs.!!!

Universal Screener: High Poverty Districts (Coordinating Title I and Supplemental State or Local Funds) There!is!an!exclusion!to!the!Title!I!supplement!not!supplant!rules!that!could!potentially!help!a!high!poverty!district!with!a!mix!of!Title!I!and!non]Title!I!schools!fund!universal!screening.!!Under!the!exclusion,!the!district!could!potentially!use!Title!I!to!support!universal!screening!in!its!Title!I!schools!and!supplemental!state!or!local!funds!to!support!universal!screening!in!its!non]Title!I!schools!notwithstanding!the!third!presumption!of!supplanting!discussed!in!Q3.!!This!is!because!federal!law!excludes!supplemental!state!and!local!funds!spent!on!“Title!I]like”!activities!from!the!supplement!not!supplant!analysis.28!!Supplemental!state!and!local!funds!are!excluded!from!a!supplanting!analysis!because!they!broaden!the!reach!of!the!Title!I!program.!

In!the!context!of!a!universal!screener,!the!Title!I]like!exclusion!is!most!relevant!where:!!

• All!of!the!district’s!Title!I!schools!are!SWPs,!and!

• All!of!the!district’s!non]Title!I!schools!have!at!least!40%!poverty.!

Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 10!

If!supplemental!state!or!local!funds!(not!the!standard!local!allocation)!are!given!to!the!non]Title!I!schools!for!the!universal!screener,!and!Title!I!funds!are!used!to!purchase!the!screener!in!Title!I!schools,!the!third!presumption!of!supplanting!would!not!be!triggered!because!the!supplemental!local!funds!are!“Title!I]like”!(i.e.!extra!state!and!local!funds)29.!!Under!federal!rules!supplemental!local!funds!are!considered!“Title!I]like”!and!excluded!from!a!supplanting!analysis!if!they!are:!!!!

• Designed!to!promote!schoolwide!reform!and!upgrade!the!entire!educational!operation!of!the!school!to!support!students!in!their!achievement!toward!meeting!the!state’s!challenging!academic!achievement!standards!that!all!students!are!expected!to!meet,!

• Designed!to!meet!the!educational!needs!of!all!students!in!the!school,!particularly!the!needs!of!students!who!are!failing,!or!most!at!risk!of!failing,!to!meet!the!state’s!challenging!student!academic!achievement!standards,!and!!

• Uses!the!state’s!assessment!system!to!review!the!effectiveness!of!the!activities.!

Q9. Can ED Grant Funds Support Tier I Activities Other Than Universal Screeners? The!following!ED!funds!could!support!Tier!I!activities:!

Funding'Source' Activity'School=level'Title'I,'Part'A,'Schoolwide'Program'School30'!Note:'in'a'schoolwide'program'

school,'all'costs'must'be'consistent'

with'the'school’s'needs'assessment'

and'schoolwide'plan.'''

• Improve!curriculum!to!ensure!high]quality!instruction!aligned!to!college]!and!career]ready!standards.!!For!example,!if!universal!screening!reveals!that!most!of!a!school’s!third!grade!students!struggle!with!reading,!the!school!may!wish!to!replace!its!current!third!grade!reading!curriculum!with!one!that!delivers!explicit!reading!instruction!to!all!3rd!grade!students!rather!than!targeting!individual!students!for!reading!interventions.!

• Reorganize!class!schedules!to!increase!teacher!planning!time.!• Reorganize!classes!to!promote!personalized!learning.!• Hire!additional!teachers!to!provide!small!group!instruction.!!• Support!additional!blocks!of!instructional!time!in!core!content!areas.!!

Title'II,'Part'A31' • Support!all!teachers!and!leaders!in!learning!core!content!and!new!instructional!strategies!to!implement!high!quality!curricula!aligned!to!college]!and!career]ready!standards.!

• Assist!teachers!in!improving!classroom!behavior.!• Assist!teachers!in!using!data!to!improve!instruction.!

IDEA,'Part'B'Section'61132,33' • Develop!and!implement!new!learning!environments!supportive!of!all!learners!based!on!universal!design!for!learning!principles.!!(Whether!IDEA!could!support!all!or!part!of!the!cost!will!depend!on!the!specific!activity!and!how!it!is!implemented.)!

• Provide!professional!development!to!both!regular!education!and!special!education!teachers!on!meeting!the!needs!of!students!with!disabilities!in!the!regular!education!environment.!

*Please'note'the'activities'listed'above'are'examples'only.''Just'because'an'activity'is'not'listed'does'not'mean'it'cannot'be'

supported'with'federal'funds.''Similarly,'just'because'an'activity'is'listed'does'not'mean'it'is'permissible'in'all'situations.'

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Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 11!

Q10. Can the LEA or school split the cost of the same RTI2 activity between one or more funding source(s)? When!using!multiple!funding!sources!for!the!same!RTI!activities,!the!LEAs!should!consider!the!following:'

Eligibility:!!ED!grants!can!only!pay!for!the!part!of!an!activity!that!benefits!eligible!participants.!!For!example,!IDEA,!Part!B!funds!can!only!be!used!for!special!education!students!(with!the!exception!of!Coordinated!Early!Intervening!Services!(CEIS)!funds).!!Therefore,!IDEA]B!could!not!fund!the!entire!cost!of!an!activity!that!benefits!both!special!education!and!non]special!education!students.!!IDEA]B!might,!however,!be!able!to!support!part'of'the'activity!to!the!extent!it!benefits!eligible!students!and!is!consistent!with!IDEA!fiscal!rules!(such!as!excess!cost).!'

Supplement'not'Supplant'in'Title'I:!!Supplement!not!supplant!limits!the!ways!in!which!districts!and!schools!can!use!Title!I!to!support!an!activity!in!which!all!students,!both!Title!I!and!non]Title!I,!participate.!!For!example,!a!district!typically!cannot!use!Title!I!funds!to!purchase!screeners!for!Title!I!schools!and!then!use!state!or!local!funds!to!purchase!screeners!for!non]Title!I!schools.!!This!issue!is!discussed!in!more!detail!in!Q8.!!Supplement!not!supplant!makes!it!difficult!to!use!Title!I!funds!to!support!any!part!of!a!districtDwide!activity.!!!

Supplement'not'Supplant'in'Schoolwide'Schools:!!Spending!within!an!individual!Title!I!school!is!easier,!particularly!within!a!schoolwide!program!school.!!Schoolwide!program!schools!are!subject!to!an!alternate!supplanting!test:!all!students!in!the!school!may!participate!in!Title!I]supported!activities,!and!the!school!may!spend!Title!I!funds!on!a!broad!array!of!costs!that!are!consistent!with!its!needs!and!schoolwide!plans.!!Please!see!Q8!for!more!information!about!the!schoolwide!model.''

Additional Questions? The!information!in!this!document!provides!guidance!in!answering!the!most!frequently!asked!questions!regarding!the!implementation!of!RTI.!!If!you!have!specific!questions!regarding!RTI,!please!feel!free!to!contact!TDOE!directly!for!support.!!!

For!general!RTI!questions,!please!contact!Tie!Hodack,!Director!of!Instructional!Programming,!Special!Populations,!at!Tie.Hodack@tn.gov!

For!program]specific!questions!(i.e.!use!of!Title!I!or!IDEA!part!B!funds),!please!contact!the!appropriate!grants!program!manager.!!For!a!list!of!all!program!managers,!visit:!!!http://tn.gov/education/districts/cpm/monitoring.shtml!!

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Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 12!

Notes !1!National!Center!on!Response!to!Intervention!(2010):!http://www.rti4success.org/sites/default/files/rtiessentialcomponents_042710.pdf.!!2!Previously,!it!was!common!for!a!student!struggling!with!the!general!curriculum!not!be!identified!with!a!SLD!until!the!third!grade,!and!then!the!primary!option!made!available!to!that!student!was!special!education!placement.!!This!approach!to!SLD!identification!delayed!intensive!early!interventions!which!research!demonstrates!has!the!greatest!likelihood!of!ensuring!student!success.!!Rather!than!waiting!for!students!to!fail,!an!RTI2!approach!to!SLD!determinations!aims!to!identify!struggling!students!earlier.!!When!implemented!with!fidelity,!RTI2!could:!(1)!reduce!the!number!of!students!referred!to!special!education!by!providing!appropriate!instructional!interventions!that!address!the!student’s!academic!needs;!and!(2)!identify!students!with!Specific!Learning!Disabilities!earlier!than!under!the!State’s!previous!determination!guidelines.!3!See!Section!614(b)(6)!of!the!Individuals!with!Disabilities!Education!Act.!!See!also!34!CFR!§!300.307.!4!34!CFR!§!200.77(g).!!See!also!U.S.!Department!of!Education!Non]Regulatory!Guidance!on!Using!Title!I,!Part!A!ARRA!Funds!for!Grants!to!Local!Educational!Agencies!to!Strengthen!Education,!Drive!Reform,!and!Improve!Results!for!Students!(2009):!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/titlei]reform.pdf.!!!5!Most!of!Tennessee’s!Title!I!schools!operate!schoolwide!programs,!meaning!interventionists!may!serve!any!student!in!the!school.!!In!targeted!assistance!schools!interventionists!may!only!serve!students!identified!as!failing,!or!most!at!risk!of!failing,!to!meet!state!standards!(which!would!likely!include!students!receiving!Tier!II!and!Tier!III!interventions).!6!Most!of!Tennessee’s!Title!I!schools!operate!schoolwide!programs,!meaning!any!staff!member!can!receive!Title!I]funded!professional!development.!!In!targeted!assistance!schools!only!staff!that!work!with!eligible!students!may!participate.!!7!Section!1114!of!the!Elementary!and!Secondary!Education!Act.!!See!also!U.S.!Department!of!Education!Non]Regulatory!Guidance!on!Using!Title!I,!Part!A!ARRA!Funds!for!Grants!to!Local!Educational!Agencies!to!Strengthen!Education,!Drive!Reform,!and!Improve!Results!for!Students!(2009):!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/titlei]reform.pdf.!!!8!Section!2123!of!the!Elementary!and!Secondary!Education!Act.!9!CEIS!funds!may!be!used!in!coordination!with!ESEA!funds,!but!must!supplement!and!not!supplant!ESEA!funds!for!those!activities.!!Additionally,!special!reporting!requirements!apply!to!CEIS!funds.!10!Office!of!Special!Education!Programs!Memorandum!on!Coordinated!Early!Intervening!Services,!p.!3,!available!at:!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/ceis]guidance.doc.!!!11!See!U.S.!Department!of!Education!Non]Regulatory!Guidance!on!Using!ARRA!Funds!Provided!Through!Part!B!of!the!Individuals!with!Disabilities!Education!Act!(IDEA)!to!Drive!School!Reform!and!Improvement!(2009),!available!at:!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/idea]b]reform.pdf!12!See!Office!of!Special!Education!Programs!Letter,!Mar.!7,!2013,!available!at:!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/12]011637r]wi]couillard]rti3]8]13.doc.!!13!34!CFR!§!200.77(g).!!See!also!U.S.!Department!of!Education!Non]Regulatory!Guidance!on!Using!Title!I,!Part!A!ARRA!Funds!for!Grants!to!Local!Educational!Agencies!to!Strengthen!Education,!Drive!Reform,!and!Improve!Results!for!Students!(2009):!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/titlei]reform.pdf.!!14!See!generally!U.S.!Department!of!Education!Non]Regulatory!Guidance!on!Using!Title!I,!Part!A!ARRA!Funds!for!Grants!to!Local!Educational!Agencies!to!Strengthen!Education,!Drive!Reform,!and!Improve!Results!for!Students!(2009):!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/titlei]reform.pdf.!!

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Response'to'Instruction'and'Intervention:'Guidance'for'Federal'Funds! 13!

!15!Section!2123!of!the!Elementary!and!Secondary!Education!Act.!16!CEIS!funds!may!be!used!in!coordination!with!ESEA!funds,!but!must!supplement!and!not!supplant!ESEA!funds!for!those!activities.!!Additionally,!special!reporting!requirements!apply!to!CEIS!funds.!17!See!generally!Office!of!Special!Education!Programs!Memorandum!on!Coordinated!Early!Intervening!Services,!available!at:!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/ceis]guidance.doc.!!!

18!See!U.S.!Department!of!Education!Non]Regulatory!Guidance!on!Using!ARRA!Funds!Provided!Through!Part!B!of!the!Individuals!with!Disabilities!Education!Act!(IDEA)!to!Drive!School!Reform!and!Improvement!(2009),!available!at:!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/idea]b]reform.pdf.!!19!Section!2123!of!the!Elementary!and!Secondary!Education!Act.!20!CEIS!funds!may!be!used!in!coordination!with!ESEA!funds,!but!must!supplement!and!not!supplant!ESEA!funds!for!those!activities.!!Additionally,!special!reporting!requirements!apply!to!CEIS!funds.!21!See!U.S.!Department!of!Education!Guidance!on!Implementing!RTI!Using!Title!I,!Title!III,!and!CEIS!Funds,!slide!15,!available!at:!http://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/rtifiles/rti.ppt!!22!See!U.S.!Department!of!Education!Non]Regulatory!Guidance!on!Using!ARRA!Funds!Provided!Through!Part!B!of!the!Individuals!with!Disabilities!Education!Act!(IDEA)!to!Drive!School!Reform!and!Improvement!(2009),!available!at:!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/idea]b]reform.pdf.!!23!See!generally!U.S.!Department!of!Education!Non]Regulatory!Guidance!on!Using!Title!I,!Part!A!ARRA!Funds!for!Grants!to!Local!Educational!Agencies!to!Strengthen!Education,!Drive!Reform,!and!Improve!Results!for!Students!(2009):!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/titlei]reform.pdf.!!24!Section!1114(a)(2)!of!the!Elementary!and!Secondary!Education!Act.!25!Section!1115(b)!of!the!Elementary!and!Secondary!Education!Act.!

26!See!for!example!ED’s!guidance!on!Title!I!Fiscal!Issues!at:!http://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/fiscalguid.doc!!27!See!Implementing'RTI'Using'Title'I,'Title'III,'and'CEIS'Funds:!http://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/rti.html!28!See!1120A(d)!and!34!CFR!§!200.79(b).!!29!While!the!“Title!I!like”!exclusion!also!applies!to!Title!I!targeted!assistance!schools,!and!to!non]Title!I!schools!below!40%!poverty,!but!it!is!harder!to!cover!a!universal!service!like!a!screener!in!such!schools!with!the!exclusion.!30!See!generally!U.S.!Department!of!Education!Letter!to!State!Directors,!p.!4!(2013),!available!at:!http://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/flexswp091313.pdf.!!31!Section!2123!of!the!Elementary!and!Secondary!Education!Act.!32!Special!considerations!for!the!use!of!Section!611!funds:!LEAs!must!meet!excess!cost!and!maintenance!of!effort!requirements.!!Further,!the!amount!charged!to!IDEA,!Part!B!should!be!proportional!to!the!benefit!to!the!IDEA!program.!!!33!U.S.!Department!of!Education!Non]Regulatory!Guidance!on!Using!ARRA!Funds!Provided!Through!Part!B!of!the!Individuals!with!Disabilities!Education!Act!(IDEA)!to!Drive!School!Reform!and!Improvement!(2009),!available!at:!http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/idea]b]reform.pdf.!!

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